MARCH 6, 2025 — High school senior Matt Haigh has launched a movement to change the Massachusetts state flag, reports the Sentinel & Enterprise.
Haigh, who founded Old Mass Flag to promote the effort, advocates for a return to a historical design featuring a pine tree on a blue shield. He argues the current flag is difficult to recognize and includes imagery some consider problematic.
“There are multiple reasons to change the flag,” he said, citing both historical and design concerns.
His campaign has gained traction, with 84 cities and towns backing a change.
Haigh hopes to replicate the community support seen in Maine’s flag redesign by advocating for a return to a historical Massachusetts flag.
“I have a design in mind, which is the reverse side of the former flag because of its historical significance and simple charming characteristics,” he said.
The original state flag was double-sided until 1971, when cost concerns led to a single design featuring the state coat of arms.
The reverse side had previously displayed a green pine tree on a blue shield, a symbol of Massachusetts’ colonial history and resistance movements like the 1772 Pine Tree Riot.
Haigh believes reviving this design would create a stronger sense of state identity.
While Governor Maura Healey has created a commission to review the flag, Haigh is focused on ensuring action is taken. “I’m hoping to help make sure that the commission completes their goal,” he said.
Image: Sentinel & Enterprise
